Bassett Creek Cohousing is a proposed community as of 2017 in the area at the north end of the
new Van White Bridge over Bassett Creek in Minneapolis, MN, known as Bassett Creek Valley (BCV).
The bridge is actually two bridges and connecting roadway over the creek, a railroad track, bike
path and public works facility. It opened in 2013 to make the area more accessible.
This area has potential for cohousing. See also About Bassett Creek Valley section
1) considerable land that could be redeveloped tho much of it is suitable for non-housing
2) land not yet in high demand so not too pricey yet
3) good location, close to:
. downtown Minneapolis
. Loring Park area via new bridge (Walker art center, Dunwoody, Hennepin Av S)
. Light Rail Transit (LRT) station on proposed SW LRT (at south end of bridge)
. LRT station on proposed Blue Line Extension on Hwy 55 at Van White Blvd
. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT - C Line) that is planned for 2019 for Hwy 55 may shift to Glenwood
when Blue Line Ext LRT built (2021)
. partial interchange with I-394 (to/from the west) at south end of bridge
. 110 unit Artspace development being developed at James Av N
and 2nd Av N (N half of old Leef Bros. site - purple "A" on map)
Looking east toward downtown along 2nd.
Click image to enlarge Artspace organization
. Just a few blocks down Cedar Lake Rd is the heart of the Bryn Mawr neighborhood --
Penn Av and Cedar Lake Rd including coffee shop and restaurant etc
See Map links by small map above.
4) great supportive neighborhood group Harrison Neighborhood Association (HNA)
5) The Harrison Neighborhood where BCV is located has socio-economically challenges,
some would call it a "bad" area. But it is changing. The potential listed above
will change the neighborhood, hopefully without forcing current residents out
(gentrification) and a cohousing community could be part of improving the neighborhood.

Bassett Creek Cohousing Vision and Values Statement

Bassett Creek Cohousing, a multi-generational urban community, is founded on the
principles of participatory decision-making and problem solving. Each member
contributes his/her talents to enable personal and community well being as well as
care of the environment.
Our community will include about 30 eco-friendly residences. Each household will
have a private kitchen as well as access to shared facilities in a Common House with
a large kitchen and dining area where we can cook together and share meals several
times a week. The Common House will include meeting spaces and workspaces
where we can share tools and talents. Gardening will be available to the extent the
site allows and maybe in nearby community gardens. Pets will be welcome. This will
be a tobacco/smoke free property.
Our Values
o Welcoming to all
o Interdependence
o Mutual respect, support, compassion
o Community and privacy
o Stewardship of the environment
o Healthy living
o Sustainability
o Emphasis on alternative transportation
o Active participation in the surrounding neighborhoods
o Containment of construction and operating costs
Fred's vision for Bassett Creek Cohousing has been moved to 10/1/16 blog entry

WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE

Possible design features section. As of July 4th, 2017 Bassett Creek Cohousing has not built any housing
and has not decided on a site or a design. But...
Below are images of built cohousing communities from which we might draw design inspiration.
Cohousing communities vary in density depending on location while still having 20-30 units. This greatly effects possible designs.
Layouts vary from townhouse-like ("turned inside out") on sites with enough land (about 2+ acres). These are most common in the US.
Some communities with small sites (about .5 acres) have apartment buildings with common space on the first floor.
Some designs combine apartment style with somee townhouse like units.
An in between density layout is building around an atrium, also known as a glass covered street or around a smaller
courtyard.
Two Canadian communities with glass covered streets are - Pacific GardensWindsong
Pacific Gardens images: (click on images for larger view)
Windsong images:

Another design at Jamaica Plain Cohousing, Boston, Massachusetts has all units on 3 levels around a modest court yard.
All units face the courtyard (no internal hallway). Instead they are connected with a walkway above and overlooking the courtyard.
There is an elevator in the common house so the walkways at all levels make all units wheelchair visitable. (red line on second picture is very rough guess of property lines)

BLOG

(A recent entry may be repeated at top of page)
7-8-2017 __ Next meeting Monday July 17th .
Bassett Creek Cohousing meeting will be Mon Jul 17 6:30pm
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
http://www.firstunitarian.org More info: Fred or Becca 612-588-9532
6-18-2017 __ Next meeting Monday Jun 26th .
The Next Bassett Creek Cohousing meeting will be
Monday Jun 26 at 7pm
at First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403
Contact Fred for details 612-588-9532
Note that is will NOT be a potluck tho you are welcome to bring
something to eat.
The agenda will include our membership agreement and hiring a
cohousing development consultant.
5-15-2017 __ Next meeting Sunday June 11th .
Our next mini potluck / meeting will be: Sunday May 7th 5pm again at
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403
4-16-2017 __ Next meeting May 7th .
Our next core group mini potluck / meeting will be: Sunday May 7th 5pm again at
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403
Easter and other committee meetings resulted in date.
4-09-2017 __ Next meeting Apr 9th .
Our next core group meeting will be: Sunday Apr 9 5pm again starting with a mini potluck at
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403
3-15-2017 __ Next meeting Mar 26th .
Our next core group meeting will be: Sunday Mar 26 5pm again starting with a mini potluck at
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403
2-23-2017 __ North News article about Bcrk.North News article about Bassett Creek Cohousing Feb 23, 2017 Page 10
2-21-2017 __ Next meeting Mar 12th / GIB postponed .
Our next core group meeting will be: Sunday Mar 12 5pm again starting with a mini potluck at
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403 Be sure to be on Mt Curve not the Groveland
entrance even tho the Groveland entrance has a sign "900 Mt Curve Ave". There are no steps to the
correct entrance.
POSTPONED: The weekend long "Getting It Built" workshop with experts Chuck Durrett and
Katie McCamant WILL NOT BE HELD March 4 & 5, 2017. ( It may be held later. )
There will be an introduction to cohousing presentation by local folks Friday March 3rd at By The Rivers Center
690 Cleveland Ave. S, St. Paul, MN 55116
2-07-2017 __ Next meeting Feb 19th .
Our next core group meeting will be: Sunday Feb 19 5pm at
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403
1-19-2017 __ Next meeting Feb 5th .
Our next core group meeting will be: Sunday Feb 5 6pm at
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mt Curve Ave, 55403
Twin Cities Cohousing Network (TCCN) will have its everyother month gathering for all
people interested in cohousing in the Twin Cities on Thur. Feb 2
see Twin Cities Cohousing Network
There is a weekend long "Getting It Built" workshop being planned with cohousing experts Chuck Durrett and
Katie McCamant for March 4 & 5, 2017.
see Twin Cities Cohousing Network and Getting It Built flyer
Friday March 3rd McCamant and Durrett will be giving a free public presentation: Friday flyer1-06-2017 __ January 2017 update .
Our next core group meeting will be: Wed., Jan 18, 2017 about 6:30pm probably with an option to eat together.
For location, check back here or contact Fred or Becca for details: 612-588-9532 fholson@cohousing.org
We have decided to meet twice per month tho we have not established a regular schedule yet.
We will continue to get to know each other and discuss our personal values. There are 22 email addresses of interested
people on our list now. Our two meetings so far have had about 10 people present.
We continue with:
* defining the project
* vision statement
* organizational issues
We are in the curious position of having a potential site and development partner before we have a well organized core group.
Usually or at least theoretically core groups get organized and then pursue sites and development.
We have a site development sub committee working on these issues. Dale Joel, the retired Minneapolis developer who has been
helping the Twin Cities Cohousing Network (TCCN) has been of great assistance.
12-01-2016 __ Site visit images .
Site 4 on map, later site proved unlikely (park owned)

12-22-2016 __ SW LRT second stop from downtown will be the "Bassett Creek Valley" stop .SW LRT final design to commence11-28-2016 __ Next Bassett Creek core group meeting Wed Dec 14 .
The next Bassett Creek Cohousing core group meeting
Wed Nov 16, 2016 6:30pm at The Living Room, 1716 Glenwood Av, Mpls
Info: Fred or Becca 612-588-9532 or fholson@cohousing.org
11-06-2016 __ First Bassett Creek core group meeting Nov 16 / Strib article.
The first Bassett Creek Cohousing core group meeting (starting with a site tour) will be
Wed Nov 16, 2016 5pm to 8pm at The Living Room, 1716 Glenwood Av, Mpls
Info: Fred or Becca 612-588-9532 or fholson@cohousing.org
Core groups are the future residents who meet to plan the community.
There was an Nov 5, 2016 Star Tribune article about the area:
Long overlooked, area's proximity to downtown Minneapolis gains momentum10-1-16 Fred's vision for that Bassett Creek Cohousing ** :
This list written by Fred Olson based on preliminary discussion with a
variety of people - not accepted by a resident group (yet). I realize
achieving all this would be a challenge but I believe in aiming for
what you really want and compromising with reality later.
1) intergenerational but senior friendly as well as kid friendly with playground, play areas
2) affordability: short term AND long term by:
. relatively low cost land
. a variety size units maybe including "tiny house" inspired units
. low energy cost via passive house inspired construction
. organized as a limited equity cooperative or maybe as a Permanent Real Estate Cooperative (PREC)
to restrain rising location costs
. design to minimize transportation costs
- near the heart of Minneapolis and transit
- bike parking room, near bike routes, near Venture North community bike / coffee shop
- minimize area devoted to cars - keep on edge of site as is cohousing practice
- car sharing to minimize number and cost of cars
. See also Chris ScottHanson's Creating More Affordability in Your Community
particularly points 10-13
3) environmentally friendly, energy efficient (shouldn't all cohousing?)
4) diversity of income, race, gender preferences etc
5) connections with diverse surrounding neighborhood including common house that can serve neighbors some
6) possible design features - see section below
09-15-2016 __ The "father" of US cohousing, Chuck Durrett, spoke in Minneapolis.
to 130 people on Thursday, September 15, 2016 at 7pm
at the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis
900 Mt Curve Ave, Minnepolis (just south of Walker Art Center)
For followup events see, Twin Cities Cohousing Network
Chuck and his wife, Katie McCammant who is also an architect , brought
the idea of cohousing to the US with their book first published in 1988.
They have designed over 50 of the 150 cohousing communites in the US.